Beef Tostadas with Beans (Printable)

Crispy tostadas topped with savory beef, creamy beans, fresh veggies, and tangy garnishes for a bold Mexican dish.

# What You Need:

→ Beef mixture

01 - 1 pound (16 oz) ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
06 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
09 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 0.25 cup (4 fl oz) beef broth or water

→ Tostada assembly

12 - 8 tostada shells (store-bought or homemade; gluten-free if required)
13 - 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
14 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
15 - 1 cup diced tomatoes
16 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
17 - 0.5 cup sour cream
18 - 0.25 cup sliced jalapeños (optional)
19 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for 5 to 6 minutes until browned and mostly cooked through.
02 - Add finely chopped onion to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
03 - Sprinkle ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper over the beef mixture. Stir to evenly coat the meat.
04 - Add tomato paste and beef broth, mix thoroughly, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens and flavors meld. Remove from heat.
05 - In a small saucepan over low heat, warm refried beans, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If desired, bake tostada shells for 3 to 4 minutes to enhance crispness.
07 - Spread warm refried beans onto each tostada shell. Top evenly with seasoned beef, then add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, jalapeños if using, and chopped cilantro.
08 - Garnish assembled tostadas with lime wedges and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, leaving you time to actually enjoy people instead of being stuck at the stove.
  • Each person gets to pile on exactly what they want, which somehow makes even picky eaters feel invested in eating it.
  • The seasoned beef tastes complex and craveable, but the ingredient list is genuinely short.
02 -
  • If your beef mixture looks dry, you didn't add enough broth—a wet, clingy sauce beats crumbly beef every time, so don't skimp on liquid.
  • Toast your spices in the meat before adding liquid; this wakes them up and makes the whole dish taste deeper and more intentional.
  • Warm your beans and beef separately so you can control the temperature and texture of each component instead of dumping everything together and hoping.
03 -
  • Chop and prep all your toppings before you start cooking so assembly happens fast and your components stay warm.
  • If your refried beans are thick from the can, thin them with a splash of warm broth or milk until they spread easily but aren't runny.

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